First though, where can you find The Basement. As an e-book, it’s available everywhere. The thing about that link is that it doesn’t include everything. It doesn’t include Amazon. It doesn’t include Overdrive. And a couple of others. So, contrary to Draft2Digital’s advertisement of that link as being a universal link, it is not. But you’ve heard it here … it is available on Amazon for your Kindle, and Overdrive if you can talk your library into ordering it.

The paperback is also now available at Barnes & Noble, and remains pending at Amazon. Eventually, it will also be available at other on-line retailers, like Powell’s and Books-A-Million, and any other retailers that pick up books from the IngramSparks catalog.

Now, on to the new news.

My short story collection, Killing Berthold Gambrel, will be available as an e-book beginning tomorrow almost everywhere e-books are sold. Where is the one place it won’t be available? Well … Amazon. Why? Because the collection consists primarily of short stories that I’ve posted on this blog over the years and I note that in the book materials because I don’t want any of the people who read this blog to buy the book and be surprised. (There are some new stories, but most have appeared here.) Amazon’s policy is that it won’t publish anything that is generally available for free elsewhere online, or at a lower cost elsewhere. So, they have rejected this little collection.

But be not disappointed all you Kindlers. It will still be available everywhere else, including Apple. So, if you have an iPhone or any other Apple device, you can get the e-version and read it on your handy-dandy Apple device. The paperback will be available at the end of the month, once I get a proof copy and confirm it’s worthy.

Meanwhile, here’s the blurb:

In his third collection of stories, Mark Paxson starts things off with the unfortunate and untimely death of a famous writer. A snarky tale that ends as a snarky tale must. From there, this collection travels through stories that touch on real-world horrors, including Aleppo and An Obituary, and others that approach the sublime and the surreal. The collection includes Carnies and Two Spaces After The Period, uncommon love stories, and a number of untitled poems from the archives. 

This collection takes the reader on a journey through the lives of mostly ordinary people facing the curve balls life throws at them. Psychotic former lovers, world leaders out of touch with reality, apartment buildings due for demolition. It’s all in here. Just crack it open and start reading. 

And here’s the cover: